Tie plate



May 11 1926. 1,583,773 I w.. s. BOYCE TIE PLATE Filed Nov. ,14, 1925 4 Sheets-$heet 1 May 11 1926. 1,583,773 w. s. BOYCE TIE PLATE Filed Nov. 14, 1925 4 sheets-sheet 2 I -L I .lnmnmnmlmull f l 1 May 11 ,1926.

' w. s. BOYCE TIE PLATE Filed Nov. 14, 1925 4 Shuts-Sheet 5 May' 11 ,1926. 1,583,773

w. s. BOYCE TIE PLATE Filed Nov. 14, 1925 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 'arm yzgyce Patented May 11, 1926 PATENT o-rF cE.

WILLIAM S. BOYCE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

- 'IfIE rLA'rE.

Application filed November 14, 1925. Serial No: 68,950.

This invention rela'testo tie plates and more particularly to the means for holding the plate against longitudinal movement rela-tive to the tie, without destruction or damage to the tie, and to means to afl'ord drainage from beneath the plate, and reduce the cost. e

The invention is applicable to tie plates of various configurations, but the basic idea thereof will be more readily understood by the accompanying drawings. in which I have.

chosen to represent the invention as applied to the form of plate covered by United States Letters Patent, Reissue No. 15.989, granted to me and dated January 27. 192.3.

In the evolution of track conditions and rolling stock, the constantly increasing heavier train loads are accompanied by a 0 as much metal as possibleby making the plate relatively thinner at less critical portions. This object has been difficult of at-. tainment because of the necessity of having tie penetrating projections or ribs on the bottom of the plate which would resist .thrust and the movement of the .platelon the tie, without maln'ng such projections and ribs of such character and size as to damage the tie and permit water to seep in and spread into the tie on either side of thegrooves or indentations in the tie made thereby.

In the plate shown in. my said reissued Patent No. 15989, the thickness of the plate from its top, rail bearing surface, to the surface of the relatively narrow, initially seating, tie bearing surfaces of its bottom, mav be varied to meet any condition of track or track loads. but the amount of metal removed from the bottom to make the medianand the end recesses is limited by the necessity of having configurated shoulders of the proper depth to resist relative movement between tie and plate. If these resisting surfaces be too great, due to in: creasing the depth of the recessed portions, then the ribs or members forming su'ch resisting surfaces have tobe made sharp pointed or of other tie penetrating configuration of corresponding or greater depth thanthat of-the recesses, and this unduly cuts, weakens anddamages the ties.

In the following description of my invention, it will be seen that this ditficulty is avoided, that I may have a plate of the maximum thickness at the points where thickness is required,'a plate having movement-resisting shoulders or the requisite depth to correspond with the maximum thickness of the plates at the points/mentioned: while. at the same time, I reduce the weight of the plate, removing surplus metal by increasingthe depth of the recesses and making the body of the plate above the recesses, relatively thinner, and all without increasing the tendency of the tie penetrating' portionsto injure the tie.

My invention consists of the devices and combinations ,of devices herein illustrated, described, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: 1

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a, tie plate embodying my invention.

Figure :2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same, on an enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the same. 5

Figure 4 is a transverse, sectional view 0 the same, the section being taken in the verticalqilane indicatedv by the dotted line 4-1 on Fig. 2.

Figures 5 and6 are bottom plan views of modifications of the form of bottom shown in Fig. 3. i

Figure 7 is a perspective view, on a still larger scale, showing the top of a railroad tie as formed by the seating of the form of plate illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4,-the plate of course being removed. I

Figure Sis a bottom plan view of another modification. V Figure 9 is a side view of the modification shown in Figure 8, with avertical section of a tie in which it has been seated. The tie plate embodying my invention is ioo designated as a whole by the letter- A and may have a top, tie bearing surface 1 of any desired configuration, and an upwardly ex tending, transverse rib 2, the face of which constitutes a rail abutting shoulder for the edge of a' rail flange. As shown, this top surface is plain, and canted and cambered.

versely extending member 3, I provide a downwardly extending, rib or projection 10, which'extends lengthwise of the member 3 and therefore transversely of the plate, This projection or rib- 10 will be formed with side faces or shoulders 11, 11, which converge to a ropnded, blunt or non-cutting edge12. When this plate is laid upon a tie, a slight tapof a sledge will be suflieient to cause these projections or ribs 10 to indent the top surface of the tie sufficiently to hold the plate in position, while the. rail is being laid and spiked to the tie. The initial train load passing over the truck will cause the initial seating of the plate on the tie, by pushing the relatively narrow members 3 into the tie. Thus the surface 9 of the'memjbers 3 becomes the initial t-ie bearing surfac of the plate, and as such, is suflicient to old the load and prevent bending or buckling of the plate A, as explained in my aforesaid reissued patent. Upon the passing offurther train loads, the plate is embedded more and more into the tie until it finally becomes fully seated with not only the surfaces 9 but the cut awaysurfaces of the ends and of the median portion all resting firmly on the t1e. f v I I Bythe use of the projections or ribs 10, 10, however, it will be manifest that the thickness of the relatively narrow members 3 as well as the depth of the cuts or recesses, indicated at 4, 7 and 5, may be appreciably greater than would be possible in a serviceable plate without the projections 10, 10; and consequently, the thickness of the plate above lts cut away portions will be less with, than without, said projections 10, 10,

while the thickness of the plate from the,

top railbearing surface 1 to the bearing surface 9, of the narrow members 3 will not a be decreased, but may in fact be increased as des1red. t

. The saving of metal by deereasing' the thickness of the plate through its ends and its median portions only one-sixteenth of an inch (in a plate 7 X 10"), efiects a most substantial reduction in cost per mile to a railroad using such plates.

over $33.00 per mile, figuring platesat $50.00

This saving is per ton. v

Again the area of the bearing surfaces-of the plate, embedded in the tie and acting to prevent relative movement between tie and plate, is not a matter of hazard,.bu-tof care ful engineering computation; and since the dimension of length of such surface is limfaces is, theref re, of importance. If too little, it may not correlate properly to hold the plates, and if too great, it means too ited to the width of the plate, the dimension of height of these movement-resisting surgreater the thickness'at the points between the surfacesland 9, where the greatest tendency to bending and breaking exists, the greater the requirement to have a" proper area and proper tie penetration of shoulders or bearing'surfaces to resist relative movementbetween tie and plate. I

To meet this engineering requirement, 1 have conceived what in use is a very practical and eifici ent arrangement. I make the depth of the projectionor rib 10 substantial- 1y equal to the thickness of the member 3. Thus the action of the bearing surfaces 13, 13, at the sides of the members 3, to resist relative movement of plate and tie, is supplemented by the action 'of the bearing surfaces 11 of the ribs 10, they together being of an area suflicient to-meet the calculated requirements, and neither entering the tie an objectionable distance. I

That is to say, if the requisite area for such bearing surfaces fora given plate may, by way of illustration, be represented by z, I make the area of the surface 11 plus the area .of the surface 13 equal 2 requirement. The rounding of the corners of the members 3 and the roundin of the edge of the ribs 10, although exten ing across the grain of the tie, do not cause a cutting or severing of th'e fibres,but a mere indenting and compressing action which compacts the fibres and forms a smooth and hard surface on the tie beneath the plate,-thus prolonging the life of the-tie to a very measureable and desirable extent,

To still further cooperate in the saving of metal by increasing the depth of-the median recess 7 and at the same time preserving the necessary strength of the body of the plate throughout its median portion, I use a plurality of parallel or separated, longitudinal,

ly disposed, ribsS, which extend from the inner shoulders 13 of the members 3 toward the central median line or axis of the recessed area 7, and are of diminishing width Ill and height. These ribs 8 are substantially extend angularly, as in the modification illustrated in Fig. 5. i

The recessed ends of the plate may be flat as illustrated in Figure 3, or one or both ends may be provided with ribs 15 similar to the ribs 8, and diminishing in width and height from the outer edge'of the member 3 to the plate end.

In the modification shown in Figure 8, I use a V-shaped rib 16 having a blunt or rounded tie-entering edge, which I locate in the median portion ofthe recessed part 7, said rib 16 extending transversely of the plate, preferably from side margin to side margin as shown, and parallel with the members 3, 3. o

In addition to the advantages heretofore mentioned, my improved plate possesses the further advantage in all of the forms shown, of facilitating drainage of any water which may find itself between the plate and the tie.

By reference to the tie shown in Figure 7 it will be seen that after'my plate hasbeen embedded or finally seated "thereon, the fibres of the tie T have been shifted, compressed and formed into a set of drainage grooves by which the water will be eliminated. iVater which mayget under the central portion of the plate will run in two directions through grooves B formed in the tie by the ribs 8 and into oneor the other of the grooves C formed by the members 3 and the grooves D formed by the blunt ribs 10. The grooves Cand D extend, as shown, transversely of Water-under the ends of the plate will drain to grooves C.

\Vhere the plate is formedwith a trans- ,verse rib 16 as shown-inthe modification illustrated in Figures 8 and 9, there will be an additional transverse drainage groove E formed in thetop of the tie, as shown in the lower part of Figure 9. r e

Where the plate is cambered or bent, as

nindicated at 17 (Figures 1 and 9) and the bottom correspondingly bent, as for example, when a plate initially rolled first is bent or cambered during the spike-hole punching operation, the top surface of the tie will finally assume :a correspondingly crowned top and in such instances the grooves C, D and E being higher in the center than at each end, will facilitate drainage of water in each direction towards the sides of the tie.

The longer such a plate is in use, the more hard and compact will be the configurated top surface of the tie beneath it and there- I fore moisture, which otherwise would be inclined to seep into the tie, does not damage or rot the tie.

Spike holes 18 may be provided as desired. a

It will be understood that ribs 8, 8 ex tending from opposite sides of-the median recess 7 towards each other, form in a sense a truss, which very greatly strengthens the, plate bodyand enables me to make the recess 7. relatively deeper even than shown, the drawing being illustrative merely.

I claim as my invention:

1. A tie plate having its bottom median portion. and its bottom end portions cut away or recessed, a relatively'narrow, initially tie-bearing member transversely of the plate and separating the end portion from the median portion, and a short tie embedding rib depending lengthwise from the relatively narrow, tie-bearing member. J

' away or recessed, a relatively narrow, initially tie-bearing member transversely of the plate and separating theiend portion from the median portion, and a short, blunt I edged rib depending from and extending lengthwise of the relatively narrow tie bearing member.

3. A tie plate having its bottom median portion and its bottom end portions cut away or recessed, a relatively narrow, initially tie-bearing member. transversely of the plate and separating the end portion from the median portion, and a- 'shallow rib having a rounded or non-cutting edge depending from and extending lengthwise I of the relatively narrow tie bearing member.

4. A tie p ia-te having its bottom median portion and its bottom end portions. cut away or recessed, a relatively narrow, ini

tially tie-bearing member transversely of I the plate and separating the end portion from the median portion, and a-shallow rib having a rounded or non-cutting edge depending from the extending lengthwise of the relatively narrow tie bearing member,-

the depth of the median recess' being less than the thickness of the relatively narrow members and the thickness of the shallow rib combined.

5 A tie plate having its bot-tom median portion and its bottom end portions cut away or recessed, a relatively narrow, initially tie-bearing member transversely of the plate and separating the end portion from the median portion, and a short tie embedding rib depending lengthwise from the relatively narrow, tie-bearing member, the sides of the rib and the sides of the relallU lEZU

tively narrow tie bearing members ccnsti- 1 tilting shoulders-to resist relative movement between theplate and the tie.

6. tie plate having a relatively wide,

transversely extending recess in the median portion of the bottom, and a plurality of tie engaging, depending ribs in said recessed port1on,.each rib being of decreasing width and height as it approaches the centerrof the 'recess and extending, substantially, longitudinally of the, plate.

7. A tie' plate' having a relatively wide,'. transversely extending recess in the median portion of the-bottom, and a plurality of tie engaging, depending ribs in said recessed portion, each rib'being of decreasing width and height as it approaches the center of the tudinally of the plate the ribs being spaced apart longitudinally and separated laterally.

' j 9. A tie plate'having a relatively wide,

transverselyextending recess in the median cessed portion, each rib width and height as it approaches the center of the recess andextending substantiallyportion of the bottom, and a plurality of tie I engaging, depending ribs in said recessed portion, each rib being'of decreasing width'and height as it approaches the center of the recess and extending, substantially longitudinally of the plate, said ribs extending from two sides of the recess towards the middle and spaced apart endwise at their small ends.

10. A tie plate having a relatively wide, transversely extending recess in the median portion of the bottom, and aplurality of tie engaging, depending ribs in said recessed portion, each rib' being of decreasingwidth and height as it approaches the center of the recess and extend-ing, substantially longitudinally of the plate, said ribs extending in substantial parallelism transversely of the plate and from each side of the recess towards the middle thereof and being spaced apart endwjse at their small ends.

11. A tie plate having a relatively wide,

transversely extending recess in the median portion of the bottom, and a' plurality of tie engaging, dependin ribs in said reieing of decreasing longitudinally of the plate, and a centrally and transversely positionedfriblocated intermediate the tapered ribs. 7

- 12. A tie plate having a relatively wide, transversely extending recess in the median portion of the bottom, and'a plurality of tie engaging, depending ribs .in said rccessed portion, each ribbe'ing of decreasing width and height as it approaches the" center positioned rib located" the middle and spaced apart endwise at their 7 I v.

small ends, and a centrally and transversely intermediate the tapered ribs.

13. A tie plate having a relatively wide, transversely extending recess in the median portion of the bottom, and a plurality of tie engaging, depending ribs in said recessed portion. each rib being of decreasing width and height as it approaches the center of the recess and extending substantially longitudinally of the plate, said ribs extending in substantial parallelism transversely of the plate and from each side of the recess" towards the middle thereof and being spaced apart endwise at'their small ends, and a centrally and transversely positioned rib located intermediate the tapered ribs.

Ll. A tie plate having a relatively wide,

transversely extending recess in the median portion of the bottom, and a plurality of I tie engaging, depending ribs in said recessed portion, each rib being of decreasing width and height as it approaches the center of the recess and extending, substantially longitudinally of the plate, and a pluralitv of similar ribs under the recessed plate en 15. A- tie plate having a relatively wide, transversely extending recess in the median portion of the bottom, and a plurality of tie a gaging, depending ribs in said recessed portion, each rib being of decreasing width and height as it approaches the center of the recess and extending, substantially longitudinally of the plate, and a plurality of similar ribs under the recessed plate end, each of; said end ribs also having a" noncutting tie entering edge.

16. A tie plate having on its bottom two relatively narrow, spaced apart, transversely extending, initially tie bearing surfaces, and \a shallow, blunt rib depending from each, a plurality of ribs in the recessed portion of the plate between the relatively narrow surfaces and extending from said surfaces tothe median recessed portion extending transversely thereof and lengthwise of the plate. In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature this 11th day of November, 1925.

, WILLIAM S. BOYCE. 

